Opportunities are available throughout the north shore. Anyone who would like to help is invited to contact Diane Trembley at 985.641.0197.

CRAWFISH COOK-OFF: MARK THE DATE

The eighth annual Hospice Foundation of the South Crawfish Cook-off will be April 16 at Fritchie Park. Kathy Busco, executive director of the Hospice Foundation, announced that the date has been set and invites anyone interested in supporting the effort by registering a team or discussing sponsorship opportunities to contact her at 985.643.5470.

MOMS CLUB OF SLIDELL

The MOMS Club of Slidell will meet Jan. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Slidell Memorial Hospital Parenting Center, on the second floor of the SMH Wellness Pavilion, 501 Robert Blvd. This program is open to all mothers who are at home during the day with their children. Activities include play and craft activities, as well as socialization and parenting discussions. For information, call 985.201.9461.

HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS

An organizational meeting for the Highlands & Islands Association of Celtic Gatherings will be held Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at Beef O’Brady’s on Louisiana 49 in Gulfport, Miss. The Highlands & Islands organization promotes Celtic culture and produces the annual Scottish Games. For details, send e-mail to info@highlandsandislands.org or visit www.highlandsandislands.org.

THOMPSON ROAD BAPTIST BEGINS SCOUT TROOP

Thompson Road Baptist Church has begun an affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America’s Southeast Louisiana Council. Troop 321 held its inaugural service last March, and young men are invited to join and be a part of the Scouting tradition.

Troop 321 is open to all boys, age 11 or in the fifth grade or older, or those who’ve earned the Arrow of Light Badge as a Cub Scout Webelo. Membership to Thompson Road Baptist Church is not required.

Troop 321 meetings are held Mondays at 7 p.m. in the church fellowship hall at 59008 Louisiana 433.

Parents are welcome to participate in the meetings and activities. For information, visit a regular Monday night meeting or call the pastor, the Rev. Randy Boyett at 985.690.6077.

1, 2, 3, 4 PARENTS!

Angie Dick, a parent educator with the Slidell Memorial Hospital Parenting Center, will teach a three-session course on the stages of child development, starting Jan. 11 and continuing Jan. 18 and 25, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Cross Gates Family Fitness, 200 North Military Road, Slidell.

Techniques and strategies to enhance parenting skills will include positive discipline, prevention of problem behavior, and the power of encouragement. Social and behavioral development stages also will be discussed.

This program is targeted for the parents of children, ages 1-4.

Limited free child care is available to nonmembers, with pre-registration. Workbooks are available for an additional $15. Register by calling 985.661.2657 or visiting www.slidellmemorial.org.

COMMISSION ON FAMILIES GETS COMMUNITY UPDATE

St. Tammany Commission on Families will meet Jan. 11 from 10 a.m. to noon at the OCS Regional Office Building, 351 Holiday Blvd., Covington. The meeting is an interactive workshop, which is free and open to the public. Local nonprofit groups, churches and businesses are encouraged to participate.

The Commission on Families is a collaborative group of private nonprofit organizations, government agencies, churches, schools, businesses and private citizens working together to better serve families of St. Tammany Parish. Regular meetings are free and open to the public. Membership and community donations always are welcome.

KAYCEE AUXILIARY

Slidell Kaycee Auxiliary monthly meeting will be Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall, 1578 West Hall Ave.

SALMEN HIGH PTSA

The Salmen High PTSA will hold its next meeting Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m. All meetings are held in the school library, and parents, guardians and students are invited and encouraged to attend.

NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK

The St. Tammany Parish Chapter of the National Action Network will meet Jan. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at New Life Ministries, 1490 West Gause Blvd., Slidell.

The group, which works to protect civil rights through nonviolent means, meets on the first, second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at New Life Ministries, which is located across West Gause Boulevard from Skater’s Paradise.

The group also meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at First Missionary Baptist Church, 123 West 28th St.

Children in the Middle, a two-part seminar designed to help parents learn effective methods for keeping their children out of the middle of divorce-related issues, will be offered Jan. 11 and 18, from 7 to 9 p.m., in the Slidell Memorial Hospital Parenting Center classroom, located on the second floor of the Wellness Pavilion, 501 Robert Blvd., Slidell.

Parent educator Alice Barattini will discuss how to look at conflicts from a child’s point of view and how to communicate in a healthy way.

This course is sponsored in part by Capital One Bank. The cost is $35 per person, or $45 per couple.

Registration is required as space is limited. Register by calling 985.661.2657 or visiting www.slidellmemorial.org.

XYZ LUNCHEON

The eXtra Years of Zest monthly luncheon will be Jan. 12 at First United Methodist Church on the corner of Bouscaren and Third Street in Olde Towne Slidell. All members of the community, 55 and older, are invited. Meteorologist Dawn Brown will speak at 10:30 a.m., followed by a hot, home-cooked meal at 11 a.m. A donation is accepted for lunch. Call 643.6437 for more information.

CASTINE COOKING

The Castine Center at Pelican Park near Mandeville is the place to be for a delicious series of cooking classes focusing on classic cuisines while showcasing local ingredients.

According to Ann Keyes, program coordinator of special projects for St. Tammany Recreation District 1, the classes, planned for groups of 12 to 20, will be instructed by Sandra Scalise Juneau.

On Jan. 13, “M’mm, Soup’s On! Classic Soups from Basic Stocks” will be presented. Class participants will learn the techniques of using the stocks that are the bases for creating classic soups, including: Nonna’s Minestrone, Mexican Tortilla Soup, Cajun Turkey and Stracciatella alla Romana.

On Feb. 9, “Chocolate Lover’s Delight” will be presented. Participants will learn the difference between bitter, bittersweet and sweet chocolate while tracing the history of chocolate from its bitter beginnings in the Americas to its sweet worldwide success. This class is designed for a total chocolate experience, featuring both sweet and savory, including truffles in deliciously different flavors, chocolate fondue, chocolate soufflé, spiced hot chocolate and classic Mexican mole.

All classes are being offered from 9:30 a.m. to noon and evenings from 6 to 9 p.m.

Each class will include the history of the cuisine, a cooking demonstration, a packet of recipes scaled for home use, as well as tastings of each of the specialties prepared. The registration fee includes the cost of materials and varies with each class.

For information, call the Castine Center at 626.7997 or register online at www.pelicanpark.com/infosheet_leisure.

TRIM KIDS SESSIONS BEGIN

A 10-session Trim Kids program will begin Jan. 14, meeting weekly from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Slidell Memorial Hospital Parenting Center Classroom, on the second floor of the SMH Wellness Pavilion, 501 Robert Blvd., Slidell.

Slidell Chapter 1396 of NARFE will meet Jan. 14, 1 p.m., at the American Legion Hall, 1680 St. Ann Place (behind the Knights of Columbus Bingo Hall, 1578 West Hall Ave).

Emmanuel Matlock and Nancy McKinney will be speaking about changes in the Federal Blue Cross insurance and the new Medicare changes and how they will affect active and retired federal employees. All active and retired federal employees are welcome and invited.

For information, contact Keith Bernard at 985.643.0817 or kbernard45@aol.com; or Eric Vosbein, membership chairman, at 985.649.2805.

The public forum to discuss Hunger in St. Tammany Parish will be held Jan. 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Abita Springs Town Hall on Level St. The forum is sponsored by Northshore Democratic Women’s Club.

Local democrats and their supporters recently enjoyed the second annual year-end celebration hosted by the St. Tammany Democratic Parish Executive Committee, the Progressive Northshore Democrats, the Northshore Democratic Women’s Club and Drinking Liberally.

In addition to enjoying all the merriment, members and their guests donated to Rainbow Child Care Center in Slidell, and the Covington Food Bank.

Anyone interested in learning more about the activities of the local Democratic organizations can visit www.dems4change.org.

PROJECT GRADUATION

The second general meeting for this year’s Project Graduation will be held Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. in the library at Slidell High School. Parent volunteers from each of the five schools participating in Project Graduation (Northshore, Pearl River, Pope John Paul, Salmen, and Slidell High Schools) are invited to attend. The purpose of the meeting is to continue planning the 2011 parties for each school to take place on the night of graduation. The success of these parties depends directly on the support provided by parents, friends and the community. Each graduating senior is invited to participate in an all-night, alcohol/drug-free celebration that features food and soft drinks, entertainment, games and a variety of prizes. This year, Project Graduation will be held in the John Slidell Park gymnasium.

Businesses wanting to support the event through a sponsorship or donation are invited to contact Sherry Kern at 645.9660. Visit www.SlidellPRProjectGraduation.com for details.

WALK IN THE WOODS

Master Gardener Rod Downie will lead a group through the diverse ecosystems at the 400-acre Northlake Nature Center in Mandeville on Jan. 22 at 9 a.m. Downie will share his enthusiasm and love of nature, teaching identification of native tree species. The winter session of this four-season program will highlight bark features, thorns, twig features and persistent leaves. Space is limited and registration is required. The program is free to NNC members and $5 for nonmembers.

Call 626.1238 or send e-mail to info@northlakenature.org for details.

LOURDES DRAW-DOWN RAFFLE SCHEDULED

Our Lady of Lourdes will hold its annual Draw-Down Raffle on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at Pope John Paul II High School.

The event will include dinner, an open bar and dancing to music by The Dominos. Raffle tickets are $100, which admits two to the event, and only 500 tickets will be sold. The lucky winner will take home their choice of $20,000 in cash or a brand new 2011 Toyota Corolla.